Trajectory
by rckyfrk
Summary: What might have happened before the hallway scene of "Coda." Basically, my theory on why everything that happened...happened. It's just a theory, but it makes sense to me. Be kind. Note: this is a one-shot, not a re-write. Sorry, folks.


Trajectory – a Walking Dead Fan Fact-tion

"Beth," Dr. Edwards called from his desk as she passed by his open office door. She halted in her steps and backed up to peek into the doorway. "Can I discuss something with you?"

Beth cautiously stepped into his office, standing behind one of the two empty chairs facing opposite him. "Yes, Doctor?" The man made her nervous. Ever since he'd lied about what medication to give Dr. Trevitt, ending in the man's demise, she had little reason to trust him. She could only hope that the injection she'd just given Carol wouldn't have the same result.

"Shut the door." The hair on the back of Beth's neck stood on end and a chill ran down her back despite the stuffiness of the air in the room, but she obeyed his order and returned to her place behind the chair. "Please, sit," he said cordially, and she does.

He took a moment before he began speaking again. "I trust Carol is coming around," he asked. Beth nodded, wondering what exactly he wanted from her now. He nodded in return and gave a slight smile. "Good. Glad to hear it. Listen, Beth, I heard from Tanaka that, believe it or not, your group found you. They're here in Atlanta, and they've taken two of our officers and are planning on trading them for you and Carol."

Beth's eyes widened as she tried to control her excitement. "They're...they're coming for me?"

Dr. Edwards nodded, "Yes, so we have to act quickly."

"You mean I need to pack?" she asked as she started to get out of her seat.

"No," he stopped her and waited for her to sit again before continuing. "You've probably figured out that things around here do not run as smoothly as Dawn would like to believe. She lets certain officers get away with, well, whatever they please. There are good ones, I'm sure you know, and, well..." he trailed off, allowing Beth to remember her close call with Gorman and how she'd brought about O'Donnell's tragic end. "We want Dawn gone. She's doing more harm than good, but keeps preaching her 'greater good' line of crap. This may be our only chance."

"What are you talking about?"

He leaned forward in order to be able to speak softly, ensuring no one would overhear. "We're planning to kill Dawn...and we need your help to do it."

"My help?!" she almost shouted, indignant that he would even suggest such a thing after everything she'd been through, the abuse she'd taken because of him.

"Shhh! Hear me out," he pleaded. "It's got to be you, Beth. No one would suspect you. We're putting all our trust in you on this one." Beth sat ramrod straight in her chair, but didn't make any attempt to leave. "When we meet for the trade-off, it'll be in the main hallway. Dawn will want as many officers as she can get to be there with her to have her back in case anyone in your group opens fire." Beth made to object, but he talked over her, "Not that any of them would. I really don't think they will, none of us do. But Dawn can't be too careful. She knows everything hangs in a very delicate balance here, and one wrong move will ruin anything. It's just as a precaution, and we're going to play along."

"We?" she asked skeptically.

"Yes. I'll be there, too."

Beth scoffed, "Why you? Why would Dawn want her only doctor to be out there in the line of fire if my people are so dangerous and untrustworthy?"

Dr. Edwards smirked, "I've talked her into it. If things go south, which I'm sure they won't, she'll want me out there to be able to treat the wounded right away. I'll be the farthest back, away from any real action. No one will suspect a thing."

"Okay. Then what?"

"Dawn's pride is her biggest downfall. It's why she can't admit how bad things have gotten since she took over. She's not going to just let the two of you off scott free, even if we get Shepherd and Lamson back. She's going to demand Noah back, just to show that she holds the power in this transaction."

Beth rolled her eyes, knowing he was exactly right. If Beth and Noah were both gone, who would be Dawn's little gophers? "Alright..."

"If your people are anything like you say they are, they'll fight her on that, standing up for the kid who has no one to fight for him. And if I know Noah like I think I do, he'll all but volunteer to stay to avoid any more conflict. That's your in."

"My in?" she said skeptically.

Dr. Edwards nodded, "That's what's going to start this whole thing. We'll need you to leave your group and come back to try and save Noah. If not save him, at least say good bye to him. Something to get you close to Dawn and cause a distraction."

Beth frowned, "A distraction? How do I do that, and what am I...distracting from? I mean, do I just start talking to her and 'Hey, look over there?'"

"Well, not exactly." He looked at her from over the top of his glasses. "I noticed the pair of scissors from the suture kit we used last time is missing. You wouldn't know anything about that, would you?" Beth remained silent, but looked down at her fingers fidgeting in her lap. "That's what I thought. Pretty soon here, you'll be given the clothes you came here with. When you're finished getting dressed, be sure and hide the scissors in your cast. Then when the moment is right you...strike."

"Strike?" Beth repeated after him incredulously. "Strike?! You mean stab her? Where? She wears her vest all the time. What, do I stab her in the arm? Those little scissors aren't going to do any damage no matter where I stab her, if I even end up getting close enough to do it."

"Well, you're not trying to kill her. Like I said, you're providing a distraction."

"A distraction for who?" Beth interrupted. "I thought you said everyone here is in on this little plan." She could feel herself getting more angry than nervous as this little "meeting" continued.

Dr. Edwards took a moment to respond; whether it was to collect his thought sor to let Beth calm down a little, she wasn't sure. "They are," he reassured her. "The distraction is for your people. Think about it, Beth. If you stayed back with your people and one of us drew our weapon all of a sudden, especially with your leaders upset about Noah having to stay behind, they would automatically assume we were drawing on _them_. But, if you're up front, confronting Dawn, all eyes are going to be on you."

Beth was quiet, realizing he was right. She pictured the scene in her mind with Noah, Rick and most likely Daryl, up toward the front, facing off with Dawn. Daryl certainly wouldn't miss one of the cops behind Dawn pulling there weapon. What if Rick or Daryl drew their weapons? Too many things could go wrong.

Resigned to her part in this, she thought of Dawn, remembering her training with Daryl, picking out weak spots, keeping in mind what she had to work with. The suture scissors definitely weren't the ideal weapon, at least not to do any real damage, but if Dr. Edwards was just looking for a distraction, they would work. However, she needed to be prepared and know going in where she would strike. The entire chest cavity was out, obviously. No sense in even trying to stab through a bullet proof vest. Dawn's head was out of the question; by the time Beth would have pulled back and gotten her arm up high enough, Dawn would have had the time to react and pull her gun from its holster. Beth could go for her arm, but she knew that wouldn't be a big enough movement to draw attention to her.

That left Dawn's neck as the only really vulnerable spot. Beth began to plot out her attack. She'd have to sneak the scissors in her cast – her jeans were too tight to conceal any kind of weapon. Her right hand – unfortunately her dominant hand – wouldn't be able to grip the scissors due to her cast. After her escape attempt with Noah, Dawn insisted on re-casting her arm, making sure Beth wouldn't be able to hold anything...at least not very well.

Alright, so she'd have to work left-handed. Beth visualized Dawn again. A thought crossed her mind as she did, one she couldn't answer herself. "How do you know they're coming?"

"Tanaka heard it on his radio."

Beth grimaced, "Dawn wears her radio all the time, doesn't she?" Dr. Edwards nodded. "That's what I thought." Dawn wore the microphone for her radio on her right shoulder. Beth would either have to angle the scissors just right to get to her neck, or she'd have to attack the opposite side. It would be awkward, and it wouldn't likely cause any real damage, but it would definitely be the distraction Edwards was looking for. "Alright, so how does all this go down?"

Edwards cleared his throat, "Well, once you're up there, facing off with Dawn, you give the signal and I fire."

"You?" she asked skeptically. "Why not one of the officers? You know, someone with _training_?"

"Who says I don't have training?" he replied. "Why do you think I insist on just dumping bodies down the elevator shaft? It would take nothing to make sure they didn't come back – an extra two seconds, if that. We leave them down there for target practice."

"That's sick."

"That's life," he said, "Well, that's how life is now. I've been practicing for the last few weeks off and on. I may not be a sharp shooter by any means, but I can hold my own."

"But like I said," Beth argued, "Why not one of the officers?"

"Let's suppose your little distraction doesn't work on everyone. Let's say one of your people still has their eye on the group of cops standing across from them. They're not going to pay one ounce of attention to the... _wimpy little doctor_...when four armed police officers are standing in formation in front of him. If one of them were to draw their weapon, it would be shoot first, ask questions later. We want to avoid anyone else getting hurt."

Beth couldn't argue that point. She had just one more question. In the little experience she had with guns and shooting people, on the road after the farm and her time at the prison, she knew that sometimes bullets could be a little unpredictable, at least in one sense. "What if it's a through and through shot? If I'm standing right in front of Dawn and the bullet goes clean through her head, it hits me. You can't guarantee it won't, either."

Dr. Edwards sighed, "No, you're right. I can't guarantee it. The best I can tell you is to get out of the way. Take a step to the side before you...do your thing. In fact, that could be the signal for me to shoot. Take a step so you can see me clearly, make eye contact, and stab her. All eyes will be on you. I highly doubt anyone will be looking at me taking aim."

Beth was still incredibly uneasy about the whole thing. So much was depending on a very specific chain of events. The whole endeavor would take a huge amount of faith, but if everything went the way it should, she would get to be with her family again, the patients at Grady Hospital would no longer be taken advantage of, and the world would be less one human monster. She took a steeling breath and nodded, despite her nervousness.

Edwards must have picked up on her reluctance to help him and his team of police officers. He stood up from behind his desk and walked around to stand near Beth, putting his hand on her shoulder. "Thank you, Beth. I know a lot of this depends on you, and you certainly don't owe us anything to _have_ to do this." He guided her from her chair to his office door, "Just think of how much better off we'll all be without her around." He opened the door for her.

"Relax, Beth. What could go wrong?"


End file.
